Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

LIVEFRMNYC

macrumors G3
Oct 27, 2009
8,878
10,987
It took me several days to hold and operate my Note 4 one handed without any conscious thought.
 

spinedoc77

macrumors G4
Jun 11, 2009
11,488
5,413
why should you worry about that? There are other things i think look stupid on people and some are permanent but who cares?
That "fad" seems to just get bigger and more popular. Not my preference but i dont care who has a huge phone. I only care if i do because i dont like my phone to be huge.

I think I got over this in about 5 minutes. I can't see this mattering unless you are in high school or something. Maybe I'm older but heck I remember people carrying around those Gordon gecko 80's cell phones which were ridiculously huge.
 

Savor

Suspended
Jun 18, 2010
3,742
918
Why would you want to buy a phablet?

They are to BIG to make calls and you are going to look ridiculous/stupid in public when you are on a phone call and they are too small as a tablet as well


You might as get a small phone like Galaxy S5 because it is big enough phone size.


Phablets are a fad and people will get bored of phablets and go back to small phones again in the future in my opinion...


But for some reason some people like phablets and thinks they are going to replace tablets HELL NO Tablets(Ipad/Android/Windows 8 tablets) are in a totally different league than phablets....
Tablets are a fad. Phablets could replace that market. Yes, 7-inch screen tablets that can make calls do exist. Asus Fonepad series. There is so criteria for phablet being only 5.5-6 inches in screen so Phone + Tablet = phablet at higher than 7 inches can make alot of sense for people instead of carrying TWO devices at the same time.

Tablets were always a FAD to me. A large "portable" media player that can't make calls unless we use Viber or whatever social apps. Companies are starting to wise up and a few like Asus are just adding phone functionality to their tablets. What would rather you have, an iPad that makes calls and text or the iPad without it? If it could do the former, no matter if it has 8 inches or 12 inches, that is still called a phablet.

Phablets replacing tablet (non-call functionality) is similar to smartphones replacing the smaller portable media players and even iPods. People will STOP buying iPads just like people stopped buying iPods.
 

JHUFrank

macrumors 6502a
Apr 16, 2010
652
66
Took me about a week. I have really enjoyed all my "fad" devices. Haven't used a small phone in years. Don't plan to ever go back
 

Savor

Suspended
Jun 18, 2010
3,742
918
If you use swipe gestures/shortcuts like I do with All In One Gestures, Nova Prime, and Swipe Home Button, I think larger phablets are NOT as unwieldy. And this doesn't include some of their one-handed mode features.

On both my phones, I use Nova Launcher Prime. If I swipe down at any part of the home screen, my notification panel gets pulled down. If I swipe up, Screen Off & Lock gets triggered. I don't need my thumb or any finger to reach up all the way to the top. Now on the Xiaomi, my text app icon (Messages) is on the upper left. I like placing it there like on iOS. But Nova also offers a shortcut for any app if you swipe up. On my Contacts app in the dock, I just swipe up over the icon and it triggers my Messages app. Swipe gestures, hidden shortcuts, and placing your most used apps in the dock or near bottom of the home screen closer to the home button are key to larger screen devices.
 

ozaz

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 27, 2011
1,615
577
If you use swipe gestures/shortcuts like I do with All In One Gestures, Nova Prime, and Swipe Home Button, I think larger phablets are NOT as unwieldy. And this doesn't include some of their one-handed mode features.

Regarding features to improve one-handed use - Is there any way on Android to emulate iPhone's reachability feature where you can have the screen slide down without re-scaling it? Samsung's approach is to scale the whole screen down and anchor it to one of the bottom edges. I prefer iPhone's sliding approach.
 

Shanghaichica

macrumors G5
Apr 8, 2013
14,725
13,245
UK
Phablets are definitely not a fad for me. I bought the original Galaxy note and since then the smallest phone I've used is 5.0 inches but have always struggled with phones that were not phablets. I still use tablets but I need a bigger screen for web browsing and just General app use. Although I have 3 tablets, a laptop and a chromebook I'd still say that my phone is my main device/main computer therefore I need a decent sized screen to get things done on. Even at home I often reach for my phone if I quickly want to check something out on the net or check Facebook.
 

Technarchy

macrumors 604
May 21, 2012
6,753
4,927
What about how it feels in the pocket? I just can't get over it personally :-/

From a usability standpoint sure I hear you guys , they are great. I just dont want to carry the damn thing around with me all the time :p

Pocket carry is a non-issue. It goes in the back pocket and feels no different than any other phone.

Gym shorts pockets work well too.
 

AppleRobert

macrumors 603
Nov 12, 2012
5,729
1,133
I think those are the reasons everyone buys a phablet size phone. I can do all of the above and actually surf on a screen that does not give me eye strain trying to read it. I find that since I have my Note 4 and 6+ i hardly ever pickup my iPad anymore.

Same here regarding my ipad. Not using it now as much as I use to.

I have four smartphones 5.5 inches or larger. And I do not use any under 5 inches any longer.
 

gotluck

macrumors 603
Dec 8, 2011
5,717
1,260
East Central Florida
Pocket carry is a non-issue. It goes in the back pocket and feels no different than any other phone.

Gym shorts pockets work well too.

Really in the back pocket? There are many times I sit down without taking the phone out of my pocket. In work slacks I can't handle the larger devices in the front pocket. Rarely ever wear a jacket down here, just dont know where to put the phone. Really afraid to use the back pocket personally

Id have to retrain my brain haha, phone goes in front left pocket :p. The brick in the pants feeling drives me nuts I guess
 
Last edited:

Technarchy

macrumors 604
May 21, 2012
6,753
4,927
Really in the back pocket? There are many times I sit down without taking the phone out of my pocket. In work slacks I can't handle the larger devices in the front pocket. Rarely ever wear a jacket down here, just dont know where to put the phone. Really afraid to use the back pocket personally

Id have to retrain my brain haha, phone goes in front left pocket :p. The brick in the pants feeling drives me nuts I guess

I've never really front pocket carried even when I had an iPhone 4S. Always back pocket so it's just second nature to insert when standing and extract when sitting.
The Sprint Galaxy S2 was pretty big way baxk at 4.5" inches so it taught me to carry larger devices. I guess that helped when transitioning to carrying a phablet years later.
 

Vegastouch

macrumors 603
Jul 12, 2008
6,185
992
Las Vegas, NV
I thought only females used the back pocket and its because they have very small or no front pockets. Ive never put mine in the back pocket.
 

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Aug 23, 2005
25,370
8,952
a better place
How long does it take to get used to a phablet?

Ive never put mine in the back pocket.

8b65e79a1851e691540c982ef566e60c.jpg


You don't know what your missing :eek:
 

gotluck

macrumors 603
Dec 8, 2011
5,717
1,260
East Central Florida
Haha so what do you do with it at say a sporting event or concert? Let the device sit on your lap? Or anywhere you will be sitting and not using th phone in a public setting

I think id have to have two phones and either pay for a second line and forward when I need mobility or swap sims all the time resulting in more of a tablet use case for me

People who live in colder areas with jackets have no issues I hear ya
 

tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,467
5,097
Haha so what do you do with it at say a sporting event or concert? Let the device sit on your lap? Or anywhere you will be sitting and not using th phone in a public setting

I think id have to have two phones and either pay for a second line and forward when I need mobility or swap sims all the time resulting in more of a tablet use case for me

People who live in colder areas with jackets have no issues I hear ya

Completely depends on the type of clothes one wears. I generally wear pants and shorts that are towards the looser side so I have no difficulty putting the phone in my front pocket. I do generally take the phone out of my pocket when I sit down and place it on a table but I've done this forever, mostly because regardless of the phone size, it almost always requires standing to easily take it out.

I could certainly see pocket comfort being more of an issue if one's style of clothing is more fitted.
 

Bahroo

macrumors 68000
Jul 21, 2012
1,860
2
Why would you want to buy a phablet?

They are to BIG to make calls and you are going to look ridiculous/stupid in public when you are on a phone call and they are too small as a tablet as well


You might as get a small phone like Galaxy S5 because it is big enough phone size.


Phablets are a fad and people will get bored of phablets and go back to small phones again in the future in my opinion...


But for some reason some people like phablets and thinks they are going to replace tablets HELL NO Tablets(Ipad/Android/Windows 8 tablets) are in a totally different league than phablets....


sorry but i dont give a **** about what someone is thinking when im on my phone in public, the big glorious bright screen alone is enough to make alot of people envious when they see it.

with that being said, it takes a little time getting used to it, if you go caseless like i did, i think it is perfectly fine with no case, with a case itll be too bulky imo, so i went the applecare+ and screen protector route with no case, loving every second of it
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.